Pelargonium plant named ‘KLEPZ15403’

ABSTRACT

A new  pelargonium  plant particularly distinguished by pink purple flowers with a purple red eye, and an upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Pelargonium zonale.

Variety denomination: ‘KLEPZ15403’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Switzerland PlantBreeders Rights application filed on Jun. 3, 2015, Application No.15-3015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference for all purposes.

An application with the European Community Plant Variety Office wasfiled on Jul. 1, 2015, File No. 2015-1526.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofpelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘KLEPZ15403’. ‘KLEPZ15403’ originatedfrom a cross-combination in June 2010 in Stuttgart, Germany between thefemale pelargonium variety ‘PZ-2006-0158’ (unpatented) and theproprietary male pelargonium variety ‘PZ-2007-0004’ (unpatented).

Seeds from the cross-combination in June 2010 in Stuttgart, Germany wereobtained. The seeds were sown and plants were grown for evaluation. Asingle plant was selected in June 2011 and subsequently named‘KLEPZ15403’. In September 2011 ‘KLEPZ15403’ was first vegetativelypropagated in Stuttgart, Germany by vegetative cuttings from stems.‘KLEPZ15403’ was found to reproduce true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings in Stuttgart,Germany.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

-   -   1. Pink purple flowers with a purple red eye; and    -   2. An upright growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new pelargonium plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows an overall view of the plant. The photograph is of anapproximately ten-week-old plant grown in Stuttgart, Germany undergreenhouse conditions in May 2014. The colors shown are as true as canbe reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘KLEPZ15403’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inStuttgart, Germany. Data was collected on plants grown 2 and ahalf-months after planting in Stuttgart, Germany under greenhouseconditions in June 2015. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chartof The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition(2007).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Geraniaceae.        -   Botanical.—Pelargonium zonale.        -   Common.—Pelargonium.        -   Designation.—‘KLEPZ15403’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—The female pelargonium variety ‘PZ-2006-0158’            (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—The proprietary male pelargonium variety            ‘PZ-2007-0004’ (unpatented).-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Bushy and round.        -   Habit.—Upright.        -   Height.—15.0 cm to 18.0 cm.        -   Spread.—21.0 cm to 24.0 cm.        -   Natural flowering season.—Spring to autumn.        -   Propagation type.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—9 to 10 weeks.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—18 days.        -   Root description.—White and fine, RHS 155 D.-   Stems:    -   -   Quantity of stems per plant.—4 to 5.        -   Color.—RHS 137B and RHS 176D.        -   Surface texture.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Stem form.—Round.        -   Diameter.—0.8 cm to 1.0 cm.        -   Length.—9.0 cm to 12.0 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.0 cm to 3.0 cm.        -   Anthocyanin.—Present, color is RHS 177B.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Kidney shaped.        -   Apex.—Obtuse, round.        -   Base.—Open.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Surface texture.—Upper surface: Rough, sparsely pubescent.            Lower surface: Slightly rough to smooth, sparsely pubescent.        -   Length.—5.0 cm to 7.0 cm.        -   Width.—6.0 cm to 9.0 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A. Lower surface: RHS 137C.        -   Zonal area.—Weakly present on some leaves between the center            and the outer region of the leaf. Color is RHS 178A.        -   Petiole.—Length: 4.0 cm to 7.0 cm. Diameter: 0.4 cm. Color:            RHS 137B. Strength: Medium.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 137B. Lower surface: RHS            137D.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Lastingness of flowers on the plant.—5 days.        -   Umbels.—Quantity of umbels per plant: 4. Length: 4.0 cm to            5.0 cm. Diameter: 7.0 cm to 9.0 cm.        -   Individual florets of the umbel.—Quantity of florets per            umbel: 8 to 10. Depth: 2.5 cm. Diameter: 4.0 cm.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Cluster shape.—Round.        -   Cluster size.—Length: 3.5 cm. Width: 4.0 cm.        -   Surface texture.—Moderately pubescent.        -   Bud.—Height: 1.0 cm to 1.5 cm. Width: 0.7 cm. Shape:            Elliptic. Apex: Peaked. Base: Blunt. Margin: Entire. Color:            RHS 137C.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—6 to 7 and petaloids.        -   Shape.—Drop-shaped.        -   Apex.—Round.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—2.5 cm.        -   Width.—1.6 cm.        -   Surface texture.—Upper surface: Smooth. Lower surface:            Smooth.        -   Color of lobes.—Upper lobes: Upper surface: 1.0 cm to 2.0 cm            border colored RHS N66A, eye region of approximately 1.0 cm            colored RHS 61B, and center region of approximately 0.5 cm            colored RHS 69C. Lower surface: RHS N74A. Lower lobes: Upper            surface: 1.0 cm to 2.0 cm border colored RHS N66A, eye            region of approximately 1.0 cm colored RHS 61B, and center            region of approximately 0.5 cm colored RHS 69C. Lower            surface: RHS N74A.-   Petaloids:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—2 to 5.        -   Shape.—Moderate.        -   Apex.—Round.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Blunt.        -   Texture (upper and lower surfaces).—Smooth.        -   Length.—0.3 cm to 1.0 cm.        -   Width.—0.1 cm to 0.6 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS N66A and RHS 69C. Lower surface:            RHS N74A.-   Sepals:    -   -   Number per flower.—5.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Peaked.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Surface texture.—Upper surface: Smooth. Lower surface:            Moderately pubescent.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 137D. Lower surface: RHS 137D.        -   Length.—1.1 cm.        -   Width.—0.3 cm.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—1.0 cm to 2.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.15 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 137D and RHS 174B.        -   Surface texture.—Moderately pubescent.        -   Strength.—Medium.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—10.0 cm to 13.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 137C and RHS 174B.        -   Surface texture.—Rough, moderately pubescent.        -   Strength.—Strong to medium.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity of stamens per flower: 1 to 5 (maximum).            Anther length: 0.15 cm. Filament length: 0.8 cm. Filament            color: RHS 49C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: RHS            N25A.        -   Pistils.—Number: 1. Stigma color: RHS 60C. Style length:            0.5 cm. Style color: RHS 60B. Ovary arrangement: Central.            Ovary color: RHS 145D. Ovary diameter: 0.2 cm. Ovary length:            0.4 cm.-   Fruit and seed set: None observed.-   Disease and pest/insect resistance: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLEPZ15403’ is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female parent Male ParentCharacteristic ‘KLEPZ15403’ ‘PZ-2006-0158’ ‘PZ-2007-0004’’ Flower colorPink purple with Pink with a Purple with an a purple red eye purple eyeorange center Zone on the Very weak Absent Strong leaves

‘KLEPZ15403’ can be compared to the commercial variety SUNRISE ‘Evita’,also known as ‘KLEPZ11276’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,429). Differencesbetween the two varieties are described in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Commercial line Characteristic‘KLEPZ15403’ SUNRISE ‘Evita’ Flower color Pink purple with a Purple withan purple red eye orange center Zone on the Very weak Strong leaves

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of pelargonium plant named‘KLEPZ15403’ as illustrated and described herein.